Parade

Ask Marilyn: Whither (or Is It Whence?) the Wind

Kevin Nichols of Searcy, Arkansas, writes:

Marilyn: I have always had a hard time remembering if a wind is named for the direction it comes from or the direction it's blowing. (For example, does a nor'easter come from the northeast? Or does it blow northeasterly?) What's a good way to remember? Marilyn responds:

Here's a way: You're an American because you come from the United States. Likewise, you're an Arkansan because you come from Arkansas. So a "nor'easter" comes from the northeast.